Passion Project was a sweet read with some lovely moments, and I really appreciated how it handled grief in a thoughtful way. That said, the romance had a bit of an insta-love vibe still, and the final conflict didn’t quite work for me and made me struggle with the FMC. Still, it had charm, humor, heart and was an enjoyable read overall

This is such a sweet, hopeful romance that deals with serious topics but doesn’t take itself too seriously. Bennet blames herself for her late boyfriend’s death, and now she’s bracing herself for his sister/her best friend’s wedding. Her friend sets her up on a date with Henry and while they agree neither wants a relationship, he takes it upon himself to pull her out of her depression by helping her find a new passion. Together they try tattooing, volunteering for a dog rescue, face their fear of heights, and, naturally, shift from friends to lovers.

Both Bennet and Henry feel like very fully characters, and depression and grief are addressed sensitively.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the free eARC.

Cute NYC rom com. The book was just ok for me. I didn't love it, but didn't dislike it either. There were some laugh out loud funny moments and also some deeper topics. Bennet was a very well written character but unlikeable at times. I found her hard to relate to.

A solid three star read for me. I would recommend for people who also liked Promise Me Sunshine.

Thanks for NetGalley, the author, and Penguin Books for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

Been hearing buzz surrounding this book as I'm also a subscriber to another book subscription and it's been hinted that this could be a pick. Loved the story in how it's much more than just a sweet romance novel and that it included deeper themes of grief and loss. I know others have mentioned feeling removed from Bennett since she kept loved ones in her life at a distance and it translated to the reader, but maybe that was the point too!

I enjoyed Henry as the MMC, however I'm not a fan of the overtly perfect guy. At times, he felt unrealistic as we all have our faults as humans. Overall it was a great read, and would recommend to others!

Thank you to Penguin Books, London Sperry, and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this!

Unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. I loved the main male character, but the female bothered me. I felt like the author wanted her to be this complex character, but it didn't hit the mark for me.

How do you restart your life after the worse possible thing happens? That’s what Bennet needs to figure out after her boyfriend, Sam, dies. She moves to New York City, but what is she going to do there? How is she going to move on? Meet Henry, their newest Passion Project, and a little bit of companionship from others, and maybe Bennet will figure it out.

I really enjoyed this book! It dove deep into the feelings of the characters, their backgrounds and their stories. I appreciated the depth of every character, even the ancillary ones, that added to this emotional novel. Even with its quasi-third act break up, I didn’t mind the storyline of the characters. Highly suggested if you enjoy grief-related novels with a lot of romance!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think the cover is cute and colorful which contrasts with the story of this book. After reading the summary I knew to expect grief, pain, etc. but I understand why other readers felt it was too much. I think if you have never experienced the amount of never ending pain, depression, anxiety, loneliness and of course grief, then it’s hard to really relate to Bennet and connect with her character. Some moments were definitely uncomfortable to read through and there were some heartbreaking decisions but overall I liked the writing style. It was full of emotions, it was believable too because it felt so raw and real. I think not everyone will enjoy this book and I understand why but if you’re in the right headspace for it I would say to give it a chance and yes you’ll feel a bit down at times but the writing style was enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

Like a lot of Emily Henry's books, this one had a lot of depth and heart! I really enjoyed the romance, and the two main leads. Definitely keeping an eye out for London Sperry for now on, she seems like the successor to EmHen that we've been looking for!

This book was cute and had excellent banter between characters. The chemistry between Bennett and Henry was lacking for me and I would have liked a little more spice.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. The mental health representation while dealing with grief was spot on. The characters were likeable, no, they were loveable. Sperry had the perfect amount of love, humor, conflict, and growth. This book is like a giant bear hug after the perfect therapy session. My heart ached for Bennet but I absolutely adored how Henry cared for her and made her see the best in herself and her life. It was amazing to see how Sperry was able to make this such an enjoyable romcom while also putting the focus on the hardships in Bennets life. I will forever recommend this book and continue to read her work. Five stars from me!

A wonderful summer romance perfect for fans of Emily Henry or Casey Mcquiston. Highly recommended. Cant wait to see a film adaptation.

Passion Project was heartfelt and deeply raw, touching on themes like grief and guilt, friendship and loneliness, self-discovery and healing. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with Bennet and Henry and I had so much fun reading. London Sperry does a wonderful job balancing heavy themes with romance and comedy. I can't believe this is her debut novel!
Even though I felt frustrated by her at times, I loved Bennet and I found myself relating to her. Her journey and her feelings were written really well, it shows you how ugly grief can be and how self-destructive it can make you act. Watching Bennet go from feeling lost and aimless to finding hope and falling in love with life again was beautiful and it touched me in so many ways.
Henry was charming from the start and the more I read the more I adored him. He was so sweet and he treated Bennet with such care and patience, I loved how they built their friendship first while slowly falling in love. I wish we could’ve learned more about him and about his relationship with his dad.
Some scenes in the end felt a bit rushed and like it wrapped up quickly but I really loved this book. I can’t wait to read more from London Sperry!
～Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of Passion Project.

Passion Project is sweet romance shot through with grief and sadness. Sadly, there was something about this book that just didn't fully gel for me. I appreciated the exploration of grief and deep loss but it felt in a way removed, at first I thought it was on purpose. To show how grief keeps you separate from your loved ones but it kept going throughout. Bennett kept everyone in her life at arm's length, from her roommate to her former best friend to her love interest Henry. And that translated to the reader as well, so I never really felt like I was in her head and didn't feel attached to her.

Henry was sweet but maybe too perfect. He had his own problems too, but they weren't really explored and it felt very superficial how he just immediately wanted to be there for Bennett.

The resolution was also too easy, after having Bennett show time and time again that she wasn't fully okay. I'd have liked her to go to therapy earlier on.

Overall it was a nice read but probably not one I will remember much in a few months.

This is my first London Sperry book, and I was totally drawn in by the beautiful cover! I love a summer rom com set in NYC. She captured the city and the vibe so perfectly. It started off so strong for me and I found myself laughing out loud. Bennet is struggling with the grief of losing her boyfriend and not really knowing who she is or what she wants. Everyone experiences grief differently, but I didn't personally find her grief to be relatable so I felt a little disconnected to it. I loved the idea of Henry helping her try to find her passion as friends. He was a total gem and was so patient with her. I hated the way she treated him and her friends. As the story went on, she became more and more unlikable to me. I was so frustrated with the things she did and said. The romance was just not there for me. It had so much potential but the love story and her finding her passion felt very forced and rushed at the end. Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love books set in New York and loved the premise of this book. But the same annoyance I felt towards the FMC 5% into the book lasted until about 90% in. I felt frustrated with all the self-sabotaging and found it difficult to sympathize for her, despite her loss. A few moments felt unrealistic (technicalities and how other characters acted or reacted). I found it hard to relate to the main character despite experiencing a similar crippling loss, and felt more frustrated than anything with the way she handled things. The moments between her and Henry were sweet and I enjoyed the ending but overall did not love the book.

With an excellent blend of heart, humor, and plenty of classic rom com tropes, Passion Project is a delightful summer time read! The romance genre often falls flat for me, but this story nailed the character development that so many stories lack. Even with her flaws, I was rooting on Bennett from the beginning and I loved watching her grow as a person and into a budding romance with Henry.

This book felt like a warm hug wrapped in witty banter and emotional honesty. Passion Project follows Bennet, who's totally stuck—grieving, aimless, and deeply unsure about life in her twenties. Enter Henry, a sweet and slightly chaotic guy who offers her a challenge: try something new every Saturday until she finds a spark again.

It’s part friends-to-maybe-more romance, part love letter to NYC, and part self-discovery journey, with plenty of heart (and hilariously awkward moments). Watching Bennet slowly wake up to life again—through carpentry, tattooing, rappelling (!), and yes, catching feelings—was so satisfying.

If you’ve ever felt lost in your twenties, or just needed a reminder that it’s okay to figure things out at your own pace, this one’s for you.

Passion Project was an ok read for me. I had high hopes and did enjoy the plotline. I really loved the first half of the story, but then it fell a little flat for me. I didn't like how Henry was treated by the FMC and didn't think it was fair. I know we eventually see growth from her, but I honestly just wasn't a huge fan of hers. He was the star of the story. I would say this would be a perfect beach read. Something to entertain yourself for the day, but not too memorable. I know it's a debut and I will pick up her next book as I did like the writing.

So bubbly and cute! I enjoyed this book over spring break and devoured it in a day. Perfect beach read :)

I thought Passion Project was a very solid debut novel. I found the author’s writing style to be similar to Emily Henry. I like how the author depicted depression in a very realistic way. The reader is taken on a roller coaster of emotions with the main character, Bennet who is struggling not to let her grief completely consume her. That is till she meets Henry, a failed blind date. He doesn’t judge her and slowly helps her to see the world in a positive light again. Bennet isn’t perfect, but she’s also her own worst critic. This is a love story, but it’s also a story of self growth, forgiveness, and discovery. I look forward to seeing what this author does next!